The present disclosure relates to biodegradable implantable batteries and methods for preparing the same.
Various types of medical devices are designed to be implanted within the human body. Examples include stents, scaffolds, drug delivery devices, cardiac rhythm management devices, neurological stimulation devices, and the like. As electronics, sensors, pacemakers, and cameras are miniaturized it is becoming feasible to deploy smaller devices into the body.
Some implantable medical devices are designed to function by utilizing energy from a power source. Such devices often require an on-board power source, which is implanted into the body as part of the medical device and is housed within a sealed case. In many circumstances, the sealed case is made from a noble metal, such as titanium, to prevent exposure of the contents of the battery to the in vivo environment. This serves to protect the battery from degradation and the patient from toxic byproducts if the battery leaks, or if the battery is left in the body either inadvertently or during long-term applications.
In the absence of recharging, batteries can only provide a finite amount of power before they are discharged to the point of being useless. In circumstances where a battery has been completely discharged, the battery and the associated medical device must generally be explanted and replaced by a new one, unless the battery was only intended for temporary use. For example, when the battery inside a pacemaker no longer provides sufficient power, the pacemaker must generally be surgically removed and replaced with a new pacemaker.
Unfortunately, removal of implanted devices is not always an easy task. The body's immunological response to a foreign body generally results in the formation of fibrous tissue around an implanted medical device over time. This fibrous tissue can make it difficult to remove implanted medical devices without risking harm to the patient. Accordingly, implantable batteries that overcome the shortcomings of prior art power sources remain desirable.